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Students give back to community with Thanksgiving food drives
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November 21, 2022In the week leading up to Thanksgiving, student groups around the Archdiocese collected canned goods, non-perishables, toiletries, toys, and turkeys for families in need this holiday season.
Saint John Paul II said, “Let us remember the past with gratitude, live the present with enthusiasm, and look forward to the future with confidence.” Catholic school students across Essex, Bergen, Hudson, and Union counties participated in collective efforts to help fight hunger in their communities.
The dedicated volunteer efforts of area Catholic school students and school faculty are pictured below:
This year, the Union Catholic Regional High School community in Scotch Plains collected over 25 bins of food, including canned vegetables, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, pasta, hot chocolate, crackers, cookies, and of course, 22 turkeys. Students delivered all donations to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Food Pantry in Scotch Plains on Tuesday, Nov. 15.
A group of seventh graders from Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child volunteers at GRACE - Giving and Receiving Assistance for our Community's Essentials to organize meal bags for 500 local families in need of groceries, including fresh fruit and vegetables, cereal, toiletries and canned food.
In the spirit of giving thanks and giving back, Our Lady of Czestochowa School in Jersey City partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of Jersey City for its annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. The food donations will be used to provide Thanksgiving dinners for families in Hudson County.
The student council at Visitation Academy in Paramus ran a toy and food drive for the Table of Plenty Pantry at Annunciation Church in Paramus. Once again, the Visitation Academy community was very generous, and many cars were filled with food and toys.
A group of seventh graders from Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child volunteers at GRACE - Giving and Receiving Assistance for our Community's Essentials to organize meal bags for 500 local families in need of groceries, including fresh fruit and vegetables, cereal, toiletries and canned food.
The student council at Visitation Academy in Paramus ran a toy and food drive for the Table of Plenty Pantry at Annunciation Church in Paramus. Once again, the Visitation Academy community was very generous, and many cars were filled with food and toys.
The Academy of Our Lady of Grace in Fairview has been collecting food donations to support its community. It recently contributed a portion of the contributions to the Church of the Holy Rosary’s Food Drive, which was started in honor and remembrance of AOLG student Annabelle Quebrada, who passed away on April 28th, 2021 at the age of six following a nine-month battle with brain cancer.
At the Academy of Saint Paul in Ramsey, students in each grade level collected food donations for the needy this Thanksgiving. Then, first-grade students practiced tallying and graphing by counting up food donations sorted by grade level.
Sacred Heart School in Lyndhurst runs a food drive before Thanksgiving for the Parish Food Pantry so that all families can enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving meal.
This year, Our Lady of Sorrows School organized a Thanksgiving food drive for a neighboring parish in Orange: Our Lady of the Valley (OLV). OLV runs a soup kitchen six days a week that does not receive dedicated funding.
This year, Our Lady of Sorrows School organized a Thanksgiving food drive for a neighboring parish in Orange: Our Lady of the Valley (OLV). OLV runs a soup kitchen six days a week that does not receive dedicated funding.
Each year, the students of Mother Seton Regional High School in Clark collect at least 40 baskets each accompanied by a turkey. These baskets are donated to St. Joseph's Social Service in Elizabeth and are in addition to the weekly donations of sandwiches and food. Each Monday (year round) the school donates hundreds of sandwiches and bags of food to St. Joseph's.
This year, Our Lady of Sorrows School organized a Thanksgiving food drive for a neighboring parish in Orange: Our Lady of the Valley (OLV). OLV runs a soup kitchen six days a week that does not receive dedicated funding.
Students at Immaculate Heart Academy put together supply bags for the family members of patients who are in hospice. They also hosted a Senior Citizens Thanksgiving Dinner.
This year, Our Lady of Sorrows School organized a Thanksgiving food drive for a neighboring parish in Orange: Our Lady of the Valley (OLV). OLV runs a soup kitchen six days a week that does not receive dedicated funding.
Academy of the Holy Angels in Demarest donated 65 turkeys to Community FoodBank of NJ on Wednesday for Thanksgiving.
This year, Our Lady of Sorrows School organized a Thanksgiving food drive for a neighboring parish in Orange: Our Lady of the Valley (OLV). OLV runs a soup kitchen six days a week that does not receive dedicated funding.
This year, Our Lady of Sorrows School organized a Thanksgiving food drive for a neighboring parish in Orange: Our Lady of the Valley (OLV). OLV runs a soup kitchen six days a week that does not receive dedicated funding.
This year, Our Lady of Sorrows School organized a Thanksgiving food drive for a neighboring parish in Orange: Our Lady of the Valley (OLV). OLV runs a soup kitchen six days a week that does not receive dedicated funding.
The National Junior Honor Society and Student Council at Corpus Christi School in Hasbrouck Heights partnered this year to sponsor a food drive for the Office of Concern Food Pantry at St. Cecilia's. Each grade was asked to donate the most needed items to the food pantry.
The National Junior Honor Society and Student Council at Corpus Christi School in Hasbrouck Heights partnered this year to sponsor a food drive for the Office of Concern Food Pantry at St. Cecilia's. Each grade was asked to donate the most needed items to the food pantry.
The National Junior Honor Society and Student Council at Corpus Christi School in Hasbrouck Heights partnered this year to sponsor a food drive for the Office of Concern Food Pantry at St. Cecilia's. Each grade was asked to donate the most needed items to the food pantry.
The National Junior Honor Society and Student Council at Corpus Christi School in Hasbrouck Heights partnered this year to sponsor a food drive for the Office of Concern Food Pantry at St. Cecilia's. Each grade was asked to donate the most needed items to the food pantry.
Roselle Catholic held a food drive to collect donations for Mercy House in Newark, NJ. They also took 11 students to volunteer at Mercy House on Nov. 17th, where they learned the mission of Mercy House and worked on various service projects to prepare Mercy House for its Thanksgiving dinner giveaway.
Roselle Catholic held a food drive to collect donations for Mercy House in Newark, NJ. They also took 11 students to volunteer at Mercy House on Nov. 17th, where they learned the mission of Mercy House and worked on various service projects to prepare Mercy House for its Thanksgiving dinner giveaway.
Roselle Catholic held a food drive to collect donations for Mercy House in Newark, NJ. They also took 11 students to volunteer at Mercy House on Nov. 17th, where they learned the mission of Mercy House and worked on various service projects to prepare Mercy House for its Thanksgiving dinner giveaway.
Roselle Catholic held a food drive to collect donations for Mercy House in Newark, NJ. They also took 11 students to volunteer at Mercy House on Nov. 17th, where they learned the mission of Mercy House and worked on various service projects to prepare Mercy House for its Thanksgiving dinner giveaway.
Roselle Catholic held a food drive to collect donations for Mercy House in Newark, NJ. They also took 11 students to volunteer at Mercy House on Nov. 17th, where they learned the mission of Mercy House and worked on various service projects to prepare Mercy House for its Thanksgiving dinner giveaway.
Students from St. Leo’s School collected donations for the St. Leo's Church Social Concerns Group for Thanksgiving.
Featured photo: Food supplies collected by The Holy Trinity School Student Council for the Westfield Food Pantry.
Photos sourced from Archdiocesan Catholic Schools, compiled by Jessica Miano
